Cooking in a Ngawha

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Cooking in a Ngawha

Objectives

“The main objective of this workshop is don’t leave hungry,” jokes teacher, Poihaere Knight.

Life in the bubbling Whakarewarewa Geothermal Valley at Te Puia presented advantages and disadvantages to local Maori.

Mudpools and erupting geysers spelled caution at every turn but there was unlimited access to the Ngawha, boiling mineral waters used for cooking and healing.

Cooking in the Ngawha encourages students to think back before the days of fridges and stoves, to discover the bounties of nature and to devise their own strategies for cooking food.

And they get to study and taste the results of food traditionally cooked in the natural waters.

Groups are welcome to add the cooking component of this workshop to any other activities chosen.

Learning activities

The workshop will visit the valley to discover the effect geothermal activity had on local food sources and cooking methods used by local Maori. Here, food was either steamed or boiled in specially woven baskets.

Students visit the weaving school at Te Puia for a closer look into how baskets were prepared to withstand the boiling temperatures. Then, they must form a plan to successfully cook a simple egg only using resources available to pre-European Maori.

Their inventions will face the ultimate test in the Ngawha. This cooking pool can reach 98 degrees Celsius. Maori, participants learn, have their own version of a cooking timer. Asked how long it takes for food to cook in a Ngawha, Poihaere replies: “Now let me see. I guess a tray of eggs takes about three songs.”

Students should bring their own food for cooking. Eggs, corn, sausages are simple and effective.